Catering Services have announced that the Roger Kirk Centre, Vanbrugh Catering, Derwent Catering, and Edge will all open their doors at 5pm, half an hour earlier than usual, during the exam period in order to better accommodate students with evening exams.
This follows campaigning from YUSU Disabilities Officer Thomas Ron, who felt that the usual opening time of 5.30pm did not allow enough time for students to eat and get to their exams in time.
Ron wrote in a blog post on the YUSU website: “The current system, which saw the doors open at 5:30 saw students with around 10 minutes to get through the queue, eat their food, and make it to the exam hall (which could be up to 40 minutes away if you eat in Wentworth and have an exam on Hes East).
“This system is simply unacceptable and many students were going to exams on an empty stomach. However, after speaking to the Catering department, the doors will open at 5:00, to allow all students who have evening exams ample time to eat their food and make it to the hall.”
YUSU President Kallum Taylor praised Ron’s work, and also spoke of how the changes will benefit both disabled and non-disabled students: “This change won’t just benefit disabled students, it’ll benefit anyone who uses the canteens on a regular basis of an evening.
“This is much more of the responsive, student led, catered system which we want,” he said.